Is Google Scanning Your Emails Really a Privacy Concern?

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In summary, the senator says that it should be illegal for Google to scan the contents of email for advertising, even if you agree to it by agreeing to a terms of service. He disagrees, saying that if you know Google will scan your email and put in ads, but do nothing else with your emails contents, why should this be illegal?
  • #1
aychamo
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So.. According to this link:

http://www.ircspy.com/comments.asp?mode=view&id=1216 [Broken]

The senator says it should be illegal for Google to scan the contents of email for advertising, even if you agree to it by aggreeing to a terms of service. I disagree. If you know Google will scan your email and put in ads, but do nothing else with your emails contents, why should this be illegal?

Let's be honest. It's *just* e-mail. Why is it so sacred? Looking at it, if I email you at Google's gmail, is that e-mail really yours? Hell, is it mine? If I send an e-mail to your address at google's computer, I created the e-mail, so I kinda "own" it, and I gave it to google. But I did give it to google to "hold" for you. It's almost like an employee having a desk drawer that they keeped locked, preventing access from the boss.

I just really don't have a problem with this. It seems like google would just scan the text of the e-mails and use whatever algorithm they have to rank the words and find the most suitible advertiser (that I would probably never click on.) I'm sure it works just the same as the Google ads on these pages. Hell, if it makes Google money, and I get a free, 100% reliable 1gig of email storage that I can most likely use *for the rest of my life* I will gladly let them make money off of my emails. AS LONG: as they don't ever draw a connection between key words and usernames. That is wrong. And they honestly shouldn't take any personal information. I don't see why they'd need *any* information from you beyond your username and password. Would recording your IPs be invading privacy?

BY THE WAY, something you may all find intersting is that the Google Ads on this forum display when you are *reading your private messages!* That is the exact same thing that will happen when Google scans your email for ads. It's not a big deal. I don't see a difference between an e-mail and a private intraforum message.
 
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  • #2
aychamo said:
BY THE WAY, something you may all find intersting is that the Google Ads on this forum display when you are *reading your private messages!* That is the exact same thing that will happen when Google scans your email for ads. It's not a big deal. I don't see a difference between an e-mail and a private intraforum message.

:) Just wanted to emphasize this.
 
  • #3
umm? how? ur e message become ads?
 
  • #4
expscv said:
umm? how? ur e message become ads?
It only becomes ad when someone actually sent it out to make fun of others.

I sent Mr A some emails, Mr A sent to some of his friends and they laughed.
Thats fun ?
I thinkit is fun.
 
  • #5
Fun of the cruel !
 
  • #6
Sigh ... ...
 
  • #7
If you don't want google reading through your email, just send pdf files. Google can only "read" plain text.
 
  • #8
Yeah, I'm saying that I'm not even concerned about it. I don't see what the big deal is.
 
  • #9
pdf ? god

hoho i don't mind le, my life should as simple as it can be

wait how about I zip it?
 

1. What information does Google GMail collect from users?

Google GMail collects information such as your email address, IP address, and device information. It also collects data from your emails, contacts, and calendar events to personalize your experience and provide targeted advertisements.

2. Is my GMail account private?

Google GMail does have a privacy policy in place to protect your information. However, as with any online service, there is always a risk of data breaches or unauthorized access. It is important to regularly review your privacy settings and use strong passwords to help keep your account secure.

3. Can Google GMail read my emails?

Google GMail's automated systems do scan emails to provide features such as spam filtering, spell check, and targeted advertisements. However, Google has stated that no humans read your emails unless they are required to do so for legal or security purposes.

4. How can I control my privacy on Google GMail?

Google GMail offers various privacy settings that allow you to control who can see your email, contacts, and calendar information. You can also opt out of targeted advertisements and adjust your data sharing preferences. It is important to regularly review and update these settings to maintain your desired level of privacy.

5. Does Google share my GMail data with third parties?

Google may share your GMail data with third parties in certain situations, such as when you give explicit consent or when required by law. However, Google does not sell your personal information to third parties for advertising purposes.

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